Suture rack

ABSTRACT

A rack for holding a surgical suture includes a first base having a base connector that can releasably engage a mating base connector of a second base. The rack includes a tray attached to the first base for rotation with respect to the first base. The tray has at least one suture-holding section with resilient clips and bosses to retain a surgical sutures in the suture-holding section. The tray has a pin which defines a rotatable axis and the first base has a connector that engages the pin for releasably connecting the tray to the first base. An array of suture-holding racks includes a first rack having a base with a base connector engaging a mating base connector of a base of a second rack. The first base can be attached to up to four adjacent bases.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to racks for holding and displaying surgicalsutures.

Sutures are commonly provided in individually sterilized and prepackagedenvelopes. Different kinds of sutures are available to meet the specificneeds of a procedure. It is common for a physician to use severaldifferent types of sutures during a procedure, and thus a variety ofsutures is generally kept close at hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention features a rack for holding a surgical suture. The rackincludes a first base having a base connector that can releasably engagea mating base connector of a second base, and a tray attached to thefirst base. The tray has at least one suture-holding section.

Preferred embodiments have multiple base connectors on the first basearranged to engage mating base connectors on each of a second, third,fourth and fifth base. The tray is attached to the first base forrotation with respect to the first base through an angle of about 180degrees. A tray-holding mechanism retains the tray in a selected rotatedposition. The tray-holding mechanism preferably includes an outwardlyprojecting knob on the tray and a detent on the base. The detent isalignable with the knob to retain the tray in a rotated position. Thetray has a pin which defines a rotatable axis. The first base has aconnector that engages the pin for releasably connecting the tray to thefirst base.

A resilient clip retains the surgical suture in the suture-holdingsection. The tray has a boss for engaging a corresponding recess in asuture package to retain the suture package in the suture-holdingsection. A packaged suture is positioned in the suture-holding section.The tray includes multiple suture-holding sections each containing apackaged suture.

The rack includes an unsealed packaged suture positioned in thesuture-holding section and a sterile package surrounding the rack.

According to another aspect of the invention, an array of suture-holdingracks includes a first rack having a first base with a base connectorengaging a mating base connector of a second base. The first base can beattached to up to four adjacent bases.

In another aspect, the invention features a sterile packaged sutureassembly including a tray for attachment to a first base of a rack forholding surgical sutures, wherein the first base has a base connectorthat can releasably engage a mating base connector of a second base. Thetray includes a suture-holding section and an unsealed packaged suturepositioned within said suture-holding section. A sterile packagesurrounds the tray.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method ofinterconnecting suture holding racks includes providing a plurality ofracks each having a base with multiple base connectors andinterconnecting the racks by mating the base connectors of adjacentracks.

According to another aspect of the invention, a method of interchangingsuture holding trays includes providing a base including a connector forreleasably attaching a tray to the base; releasably attaching a firsttray to the base, the first tray including a first suture-holdingsection; and removing the first tray from the base and attaching asecond tray to the base, the second tray including a secondsuture-holding section.

The rack of the invention can advantageously keep several prepackagedsutures close at hand during a surgical procedure. The rack is enclosedin a single sterile package such that the sutures in the rack areaccessible and ready for use simply by removing the sterile package.Sutures can be removed from their individual packages without the needfor handling the suture package. The trays of the racks can be easilyinterchanged to accommodate different sizes of suture packages. Thetrays can also be rotated out of the way or to display sutures in otherracks. The bases of the racks can be conveniently interconnected to forman organized array of suture-holding racks.

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an array of suture-holdingracks, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a tray of a suture-holding rack ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the tray, taken along lines 2A--2Ain FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the tray, taken along lines 3--3 inFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary end view of the tray, shown in amating position with a cross-sectional view of the base, taken alonglines 4--4 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a base of a suture-holding rack of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the base of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the base, taken along lines 7--7 inFIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the base, taken along lines 8--8 inFIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic illustration of a loaded rack enclosed insterile packaging, according to the invention;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view of tray with a packaged suture accordingto an additional embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a side view showing the packaged suture of FIG. 10 positionedin the tray.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates an array 8 of interconnected suture-holding racks 10.Each rack 10 includes a base 12 and a releasably connected tray 14. Thebases 12 of racks 10 are interconnectable (described further below) toform array 8. Tray 14 includes suture-holding compartments 24 forholding packaged sutures 16. Packages sutures 16 each include a suturepackage 16a containing a suture 16b.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 2A, tray 14 has two integrally molded,outwardly extending pins 22, one at each end 23 and 25, that define anaxis of rotation 27. Several suture-holding compartments 24, here fivebeing shown, are each separated by an integral wall 26 extending alongthe height H of tray 14. Flanges 28 extend from wall 26 define slots 200to help retain packaged sutures 16 within compartments 24. Betweenflanges 28, the front side 18 of each compartment 24 is substantiallyopen, enabling descriptions on the front of the suture packaging to bedisplayed.

Referring also to FIG. 3, a rail portion 32 of tray 14 extends alongback side 20 of tray 14 and is connected to walls 26. A retaining clip30, in the form of a cantilevered, resilient finger, extends downwardinto each compartment 24 from rail 32. Each clip 30 projects from rail32 toward front side 18 of tray 14, with a free end 34 curved backslightly toward back side 20 of tray 14. A front face 36 of each clip 30presents a smooth surface to the packaged suture 16 as the suture isslidingly inserted into and removed from compartment 24. As a packagedsuture 16 is inserted into compartment 24, clip 30 is displaced rearwardand acts as a cyclable leaf spring to exert pressure against packagedsuture 16 to secure it against inner surfaces 38 of flanges 28. In use,resilient clip 30 and flanges 28 retain the suture package while thesurgeon removes the suture from the package.

Referring to FIG. 4, a bottom surface 40 of tray 14 has a circular arcshape which is concentric about pins 22. Bottom surface 40 includesoutwardly facing projections 42 (here three are shown) at multiplelocations along the length of tray 14 (see FIG. 2). Pins 22 andprojections 42 are used to connect tray 14 to base 12 and to hold tray14 in a desired orientation.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, base 12 has a top face 46; tray connectors60 extending upward from top face 46 of base 12 to engage pins 22 oftray 14 to releasably secure tray 14 against base 12; and male baseconnectors 50, 52, 53 and 54, and female base connectors 55, 56, 57 and58 for releasably connecting base 12 to adjacent bases 12. An elevatedsupport rib 66 located between the two tray connectors 60 supportsbottom surface 40 of secured tray 14.

Referring to FIG. 7, each tray connector 60 has two facing cantileveredarms 62, with ends 61 of each arm 62 curved toward each other. Ends 61define a restriction 64 through which pin 22 of the tray snap-fits intoan aparture 65 during assembly of tray 14 to base 12 to secure tray 14to base 12 while enabling pin 22 to rotate within tray connector 60.

Referring again to FIG. 4, to hold tray 14 in a desired orientation, acurved upper surface 68 of support rib 66 includes a series oflongitudinal recesses 44 extended along the length of support rib 66. Atleast one projection 42 of tray 14 engages a recess 44 to lock tray 14to base 12 at a desired orientation. Rib 66 is positioned above top face46 of base 12 enabling tray 14 to be rotated over an angle of 180degrees about axis 27 such that tray 14 can lie flat. Tray 14 isconstructed to resiliently flex to disengage projections 42 fromrecesses 44 to enable tray 14 to be rotated to a desired position.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8, male connectors 50, 52, 53 and 54 includefingers 51 extending downward from raised platforms 72 and 74 whichengage a mating female connector 57, 58, 55 and 56, respectively, tosecure a first base 12 to adjacent bases 12. Female connectors 55, 56,57 and 58 are holes extending through base 12. The arrangement of thepairs of male/female connectors enables base 12 to be attached to up tofour additional bases 12 (see FIG. 1). When bases 12 are so connected,raised platform 72 or 74 of the bases providing the male connectors atany given connection overlaps upper face 46 of the base providing thefemale connectors. The releasable connection of trays 14 to bases 12permit an empty tray to be quickly replaced with a new tray without thenecessity of removing the associated base from an array of racks.

The distance D_(m) between cam surfaces 76 of fingers 51 of a maleconnector is greater than the distance D_(f) between the outer edges ofa mating female connector enabling fingers 51 of the male connector toresiliently deflect during engagement. Holes 78 through platforms 72 and74 adjacent the male connectors decrease the torsional rigidity ofplatforms 72, 74 to aid in the deflection of fingers 51 duringengagement. A radius 80 (FIG. 6) at the upper edge of the holes of thefemale connector helps to align fingers 51 of the male connector priorto engagement.

Referring to FIG. 9, rack 10 is preferably supplied to the customerpreassembled in sterile packaging 82 with packaged sutures 16pre-loaded. Sterile rack packaging 82 allows packaged sutures 16 to besupplied unsealed, i.e., not in individual sterile packaging, thusenabling the sutures to be made accessible and ready for use simply byremoving the rack from packaging 82. Alternatively, tray 14 withunsealed, pre-loaded sutures 16 can be supplied in sterile packaging 82without base 14.

Tray 14 may be configured with seven or eight suture-holding sections 24to accommodate small suture packages 16, with five suture-holdingsections 24 to accommodate large suture packages 16, or with foursuture-holding sections 24 to accommodate absorbable sutures in foilcarrier packaging. The number and size of suture-holding sections 24 ineach tray 14 may vary within array 8, as illustrated in FIG. 1.Compatible suture package sizes include, for example, DSP Worldwide,Inc. packaged sutures 3-810W, X-5904, and B4120N.

Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.

For example, referring to FIG. 10, suture holding section 124 of tray114 includes bosses 84 and suture package 186 includes correspondingrecesses 90, e.g., notches, which engage bosses 84 when suture package186 is placed in suture holding section 124 (see FIG. 11). Theengagement of recesses 90 and bosses 84 helps retain suture package 186within suture holding section 124 while a surgeon is removing anassociated suture 188.

What is claimed is:
 1. A rack for holding a surgical suture,comprising:a first base having a base connector that can releasablyengage a mating base connector of a second base, and a tray attached tothe first base, said tray including a suture-holding section having aflange defining a slot for receiving a flat envelope containing asurgical suture.
 2. The rack of claim 1 wherein the first base includesa plurality of base connectors arranged to engage mating base connectorson each of a second, third, fourth and fifth base.
 3. The rack of claim1 wherein the tray is attached to the first base for rotation withrespect to the first base through an angle of about 180 degrees.
 4. Therack of claim 3 further comprising a tray-holder that retains the trayin a selected rotated position.
 5. The rack of claim 4 wherein thetray-holder comprises an outwardly projecting knob on the tray and adetent on the first base, the detent being alignable with the knob toretain the tray in a rotated position.
 6. The rack of claim 1 whereinthe tray further comprises a pin which defines a rotatable axis, and thefirst base comprises an upstanding tray connector that engages the pinfor releasably connecting the tray to the first base.
 7. The rack ofclaim 1 wherein the tray further comprises a resilient clip forretaining a surgical suture in the suture-holding section.
 8. The rackof claim 7 further comprising a suture-retaining boss.
 9. The rack ofclaim 1 wherein the tray further comprises a boss for engaging acorresponding recess in a suture package to retain said suture packagein the suture-holding section.
 10. The rack of claim 1 further includinga packaged suture positioned in the suture-holding section.
 11. The rackof claim 1 wherein the tray further comprises multiple suture-holdingsections.
 12. The rack of claim 11 further including multiple packagedsutures, each of the multiple packaged sutures being located within acorresponding suture holding section.
 13. The rack of claim 1 furtherincluding an unsealed packaged suture positioned in the suture-holdingsection and a sterile package surrounding said rack.
 14. A rack forholding surgical sutures, comprising:a first base having a baseconnector that can releasably engage a mating base connector of a secondbase and a detent, and a tray attached to the first base for rotationwith respect to the first base, the tray including a suture-holdingsection with a resilient clip to retain a surgical suture in thesuture-holding section, and a knob aligned with the detent to retain thetray in a selected rotated position.
 15. The rack of claim 14 whereinthe first base includes a plurality of base connectors arranged toengage mating base connectors on each of a second, third, fourth andfifth base.
 16. The rack of claim 14 further including a packaged suturepositioned in the suture-holding section.
 17. An array of suture-holdingracks, comprising:a first rack for holding a surgical suture, said firstrack includinga first base having a base connector engaging a matingbase connector of a second base, and a first tray attached to the firstbase, the first tray including a first suture-holding section having aflange defining a slot for receiving a flat envelope containing asurgical suture, and a second rack for holding a surgical suture, saidsecond rack includingthe second base having the mating base connectorengaging the base connector of the first base, and a second trayattached to the second base, the second tray including a secondsuture-holding section having a flange defining a slot for receiving aflat envelope containing a surgical suture.
 18. The rack of claim 17wherein the first base includes a plurality of base connectors engagingmating base connectors on each of a third, fourth and fifth base.
 19. Asterile packaged suture assembly, comprising:a tray for attachment to afirst base of a rack for holding surgical sutures, wherein the firstbase has a base connector that can releasably engage a mating baseconnector of a second base, said tray including a suture-holding sectionand an unsealed packaged suture positioned within said suture-holdingsection, and a sterile package surrounding said tray.
 20. A method ofinterconnecting suture holding racks, comprising:providing a pluralityof racks each havinga base with multiple base connectors, and a trayattached to the base and including a suture-holding section having aflange defining a slot for receiving a flat envelope containing asurgical suture, and interconnecting the racks by mating the baseconnectors of adjacent racks.
 21. A method of interchanging sutureholding trays, comprising:providing a base including a connector forreleasably attaching a tray to the base, the connector defining anaperture, releasably attaching a first tray to the base by inserting acorresponding pin of the tray into the aperture, the first trayincluding a first suture-holding section, and removing the first trayfrom the base and attaching a second tray to the base by inserting acorresponding pin of the second tray into the aperture, the second trayincluding a second suture-holding section.
 22. A rack for holding asurgical suture, comprising:a first base having a base connector thatcan releasably engage a mating base connector of a second base, and atray attached to the first base for rotation with respect to the firstbase through an angle of about 180 degrees, said tray including asuture-holding section.
 23. The rack of claim 22 further comprising atray-holder that retains the tray in a selected rotated position. 24.The rack of claim 23 wherein the tray-holder comprises an outwardlyprojecting knob on the tray and a detent on the first base, the detentbeing alignable with the knob to retain the tray in a rotated position.25. A rack for holding a surgical suture, comprising:a first base havinga base connector that can releasably engage a mating base connector of asecond base, and a tray attached to the first base, said tray includinga suture-holding section and a pin which defines a rotatable axis, thefirst base comprising an upstanding tray connector that engages the pinfor releasably connecting the tray to the first base.
 26. A rack forholding a surgical suture, comprising:a first base having a baseconnector that can releasably engage a mating base connector of a secondbase, and a tray attached to the first base, said tray including asuture-holding section and a resilient clip for retaining a surgicalsuture in the suture-holding section.
 27. The rack of claim 26 furthercomprising a suture-retaining boss.
 28. A rack for holding a surgicalsuture, comprising:a first base having a base connector that canreleasably engage a mating base connector of a second base, and a trayattached to the first base, said tray including a suture-holding sectionand a boss for engaging a corresponding recess in a suture package toretain said suture package in the suture-holding section.
 29. A rack forholding a surgical suture, the rack comprising:a first base having abase connector that can releasably engage a mating base connector of asecond base, a tray attached to the first base, said tray including asuture-holding section, and a packaged suture positioned in thesuture-holding section.
 30. The rack of claim 29 further comprisingmultiple packaged sutures, said tray including multiple suture-holdingsections, each of the multiple packaged sutures being located within acorresponding suture holding section.
 31. A rack for holding a surgicalsuture, the rack comprising:a first base having a base connector thatcan releasably engage a mating base connector of a second base, a trayattached to the first base, said tray including a suture-holdingsection, an unsealed packaged suture positioned in the suture-holdingsection, and a sterile package surrounding said rack.